A group of artists comes together to create an enlightening music festival

“I’d rather see artists perform music in a house,” said John Hanson, director of the board for a new musical event called The Lamp Light Music Festival. This was the idea that sparked it all.
“I was inspired by life here in Grand Rapids, where there are all these beautiful houses and great neighborhoods,” said Hanson on his first thoughts about the event.

“I was at a festival myself a while back, and I thought: If I created a music festival, what would it be like? How would I take care of the artist?”

The Lamp Light Music Festival intends to break the barricade between audience and performer, and place everyone at ease within cozy surroundings. “I’ve always loved house shows, concerts. I think it’s the best way to hear an artist perform. I like the idea of performers playing in one room, and in another we have the kitchen, where people are making food,” Hanson said.

SuppliedFiona Dickinson

The festival promises to be “a celebration of local music, community, and art and is an experiment in social practice,” according to the festival’s official website. The event is to be held in the Eastown neighborhood.

Attendees are encouraged to circuit between four houses located on Benjamin Avenue and Sigsbee and Dunham streets—listen to local music, eat local food, and view local art. “East of Fuller Avenue and along Benjamin [Avenue] will be a real hot spot,” Hanson said.

The artists are the people who own and operate these homes, ground zero for Lamp Light. This original idea spawned from the notion that many great artists live within close proximity of each other in Eastown. Hanson revealed the concept quickly evolved from a neighborhood art collective to an indoor music festival. Hanson then spoke to some high-profile community members, and the project soon became a reality.

“When you come into these houses, it will be a real cultural experience,” Hanson said of the featured art to be displayed, which will include paintings, screen prints, photography, and artisan crafts. “There will be music performed in the attics, a bedroom set, living rooms sets,” he said, adding plans are to utilize every inch of every house for the event.

Multiple genres of music are represented in the artist lineup but lean toward the folk, indie and alternative rock—but certainly not limited to those. There will be some Eastern European sounds in addition to hip-hop from A.B! & Coconut Brown.

Many of the bands are local, such as The Wallace Collective. But some come from as far away as Brooklyn, like Cuddle Magic. Other groups include Saturday Looks Good To Me and singer-songwriter Karisa Wilson.

“If you just look at the bill, there’s a ton of bands with integrity here,” said Hanson, who intends to perform at Lamp Light with his own band, Strawberry Heritage. “Grand Rapids is poised for so much. This is a cultural strongpoint. The first reason that comes to mind is the amazing community of artists here, people who care about the city and wish to see it grow.”